506 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AXD  COTTAGE  GARDENER, 
June  11,  1903. 
grounds  when  the  Society  assumed  proprietorship  were 
most  unpromising,  but  under  Robert  Marnock’s  experienced 
and  crafty  supervision  they  were  absolutely  transformed, 
and  remain  to-day  the  joy  of  all  visitors  and  a  feature  of 
wonder  to  those  who  learn  that  the  contour,  undulations, 
and  general  design  are  wholly  artificial.  Prior  to  his  accept¬ 
ance  of  the  curatorship  of  Regent’s  Park  Botanic  Garden, 
Mr.  Marnock  had  discharged  the  same  office  at  the  Sheffield 
Botanic  Garden,  and  his  recommendation  was  due  to 
j\Ir.  J.  Claudius  Loudon,  whose  name  we  all  revere. 
The  first  operation,  after  clearing  the  grounds,  was  form¬ 
ing  the  lake  and  the  mound  which  lie  to  the  right,  inward 
from  the  entrance  gates,  and  the  work  necessitated'  the 
removal  of  many  thousands  of  yards  of  stiff  clay.  A  terrace 
was  next  formed  at  the  north,  on  which  the  conservatory 
stands,  a  building  constructed  of  iron,  and  built  by  Turner, 
of  Dublin,  in  1845,  who  subsequently  built  the  Palm  house 
at  Kew.  If  the  Regent’s  Park  house  is  not  the  first  built 
entirely  of  iron,  it  may  be  considered  the  first  iron  house  of 
any  size  in  England.  Behind  the  conservatory  Mr.  Marnock 
formed  the  well-known  exhibition  ground,  which  is  now, 
however,  being  altered  to  a  level  surface.  The  plan  is  that 
of  a  wide,  sinuous  basin,  surrounded  with  grassy  banks 
formed  in  tiers  for  the  convenience  of  exhibitors  who  stage 
their  plants  thereon,  and  have  a  sward  foundation  in  place 
of  the  green  baize  now  requisitioned  where  tables  are  em¬ 
ployed.  The  features  of  the  garden  remain  almost  identi¬ 
cally  the  same  now  as  when  Marnock  had  completed  his 
design,  the  chief  alterations  having  been  effected  on  the 
west  side,  and  these  only  being  merely  a  matter  of  slight 
rearrangement.  At  our  visit  to  the  gardens  in  April  there 
w’ere  evidences  on  every  side  of  a  new  impulse  towards 
maintaining  the  grounds  at  their  standard  excellence,  and 
adapting  them  to  the  horticultural  developments  of  these 
later  years.  The  old  herbaceous  garden  on  the  east  side 
will  be  improved,  in  company  with  adjacent  parts.  This 
herbaceous  plant  collection  is  arranged  in  Natural  Orders, 
and  these,  in  turn,  are  grouped  in  their  natural  affinities. 
The  beds  in  botanic  gardens  are  generally  straight  and  uni¬ 
form  ;  but  in  this  case  they  are  of  all  shapes  and  sizes,  the 
larger  the  Order  the  larger  the  bed,  and  vice  versci.,  which 
serves  to  impress  upon  the  students  the  relative  size  of  the 
Orders,  while  not  detracting  from  the  facility  for  specific 
comparisons.  The  grouping  is  decidedly  more  ornamental 
than  the  formal  method  of  arrangement. 
Between  the  conservatory  and  the  herbaceous  garden  lie 
the  plant  structures,  and  the  areas  of  medicinal  and  eco¬ 
nomic  plants.  The  Society  has  reason  to  value  this  depart¬ 
ment,  and  to  be  anxious  for  its  renewed  development,  as  it 
to  be  exceedingly  useful,  not  only  to  medical  and 
o.ther  students  from  the  innumerable  colleges  in  London, 
but  to  merchants  and  manufacturers  ancl  others  ;  in  fact,  all 
persons  interested  in  the  economic  products  of  the  vegetable 
kingdom.  This  side  of  the  garden  is  generally  considered 
as  the  locality  for  plant  study,  and  is  much  frequented,  as 
we  ourselves  evidenced.  The  number  of  free  students’ 
tickets,  for  three  months  each,  issued  annually,  ranges  from 
600  to  over  800,  and  the  cut  specimens  given  for  study  at 
one  time  amounted  to  40,000  to  50,000  per  annum,  the  supply 
of  these  being  somewhat  of  a  di’ain  upon  the  Society. 
Another  useful  feature  in  the  herbaceous  portion  of  the 
grounds  are  the  meteorological  instruments  and  apparatus. 
The  sunshine  recorder  is  on  the  tower  on  the  mound,  and  in 
an  enclosed  space  near  by  are  the  earth  thermometers,  from 
3m  to  16ft  cleep,  and  of  special  interest  to  gardeners  and 
general  cultivators.  Daily  records  of  all  the  instruments 
are  kept  from  observations  taken  three  times  daily,  and 
printed,  we  believe,  in  the  London  “  Evening  Standard,”  as 
well  as  the  Society’s  “  Quarterly  Record.” 
In  addition  to  the  large  conservatory  (of  the  interior  of 
which  we  furnish  an  illustration,  on  page  511),  there  is  a 
house  and  warm  water  tank  for  the  Victoria  Regia  and 
tropical  aquatic  vegetation,  besides  ferneries.  Orchid  houses, 
stoves,  greenhouses,  propagating  pits,  frames  for  alpines, 
and  all  kinds  of  ornamental  bedding  plants,  and  good  work¬ 
shops,  potting  shed,  and  offices.  The  head  gardener  (Mr. 
E.  F.  Hawes)  occupies  a  substantial  cottage  close  to  the 
glass  department. 
At  the  extreme  w’est  of  the  garden  is  the  museum,  secre¬ 
tary’s  office  (Mr.  B.  Sowerby  is  secretary),  meeting-room. 
dwelling-house,  and  the  recently  erected  and  well  appointed 
experimental  laboratory.  The  museum  is  also  used  as  a 
lecture  and  reading  room,  and  has  a  botanical  library 
attached.  The  students  attending  the  Society’s  Practical 
Gardening  School  come  from  places  far  apart,  and  most  of 
them  are  youths  and  maidens  between  the  ages  of  fifteen 
and  twenty-three.  They  seem  to  work  with  zest,  and  to 
enjoy  their  pleasant  and  varied  occupations.  A  three  years’ 
syllabus  is  prepared,  and  this  they  adhere  to,  as  in  the 
similar  schools  and  colleges  elsewhere. 
The  exhibitions  held  by  the  Royal  Botanic  Society  have 
a  special  distinction,  though  the  spring  shows  declined 
during  recent  years.  These  began  in  1860,  though  flower 
shows  have  been  yearly  held  since  1843,  even  before  the 
gardens  were  finally  completed ;  and  in  1872  the  Society’s 
Evening  Fetes,  which  are  now  especially  popular,  were 
inaugurated.  The  Rhododendron  exhibitions  by  Waterer 
and  Sons  of  Bagshot,  the  Rose  displays  by  William  Paul, 
and  the  hardy  plant  collections  staged  by  Barr  and  Sons  at 
certain  set  periods  of  the  summer  may  also  be  referred  to  as 
work  undertaken  for  the  encouragement  of  horticulture,  and 
in  a  secondary  measure  botany.  In  1901  the  great  Nature 
Study  Exhibition  found  a  welcome  hospitate  in  Regent’s 
Pai’k  Botanic  Garden,  and  other  societies,  with  a  recognised 
utilitarian  aim.  have  received  full  freedom  for  their  exhibi¬ 
tions  within  the  bounds  of  these  gardens.  With  the  una¬ 
bated  attachment  of  its  numerous  influential  Fellows,  and 
under  the  wise  direction  of  experienced  officers,  assisted  by 
an  honest  and  efficient  staff  in  all  departments,  w^e  fear  not 
for  the  future  of  the  Royal  Botanic  Society  of  London  ;  and 
while  its  aims  broaden,  and  its  work  increases,  it  is  im¬ 
possible  for  it  not  to  command  a  high  respect. 
- - 1  I - 
The  Cactus  Dahlia. 
As  the  time  is  now  approaching  when  the  planting  of  this 
noble  and  lovely  flower  will  be  necessary,  a  few  notes  will  not 
come  amiss.  The  Dahlia  possesses  many  good  qualities,  one  of 
which  is  its  invaluable  merit  as  a  town  garden  flower.  Another 
is  its  great  variety  of  rich  colourings  and  wonderful  wealth  of 
bloom  in  mild  autumns  when  there  is  a  scarcity  of  other  flowers. 
To  secure  the  most  profit  and  pleasurei  from  this  deservedly 
popular  flower,  one  must  be  prepared  to  tend  it  with  the 
utmost  care,  as  it  is  a  plant  from  which  the  careful  cultivator 
reaps  a  rich  reward  :  while  neglect  of  it  is  sure  to  bring  dis¬ 
appointment.  When  imrchasing  plants  be  sure  to  secure'  those 
that  are  sturdy  and  well  grown.  Plants  that  are  drawn  up, 
looking  thin  and  weak,  are  ruined  in  constitution,  and  cannot 
possibly  produce  good  results.  For  myself,  I  prefer  buying  pot 
roots  and  starting  these  in  cold  fraines,  protected  from  late  frosts 
until  planting  out  time.  By  this  means  they  are  more  naturally 
grown,  SO'  one  is  surer  of  having  strong,  sturdy  plants,  which 
are  far  better  than  those  raised  from  cuttings  in  a  high  tem¬ 
perature. 
The  ground  intendecl  for  Dahlias  should  be  well  dug  and 
manured.  After  the  plants  have  been  hardened  off.  plant  out 
about  the  first  or  second  week  in  June,  according  to  weather 
and  localitv  •  water  well  and  top-dress  with  manure,  and  occa¬ 
sionally  apply  liquid  manure  during  the  season.  The  list  of 
varieties  that  one  now  has  to  select  from  is  really  appalling  in 
number,  and  each  brings  ciuite  a  numerous  lot  of  new  ones. 
The  following  thirty  varieties  include  the  best  and  most  .suit¬ 
able  for  the  ordinary  cultivator,  plants  of  which  may  be  obtained 
at  reasonable  price's  from  most  nurserymen  :  Mrs.  J.  J.  Crowe> 
cnnary  yellow;  Fred  Cobbold,  intense  clear  crimson  scarlet; 
Britannia,  delicate  salmon  pink ;  Maiy  Service',  pinkish  helio¬ 
trope,  base  of  petals  yellowish  brown,  a  most  elegant  flower ; 
J.  W.  Wilkinson,  deep  reddi.sh  plum  colour;  Winsome,  pure 
white;  Fighting  Mac,  rich  fiery  crimson;  Exquisite,  pinki.sh 
apricot;  Cannell’s  Crest,  rich  cherry  red;  Etheil,  a  very  good 
yellow;  Eclipse,  orange'  scarlet,  fine  for  cutting;  Lord  Brassey, 
rose,  flushed  violet,  base  yellow;  Lyric,  fiery  crimson,  yellow 
ba.se;  Rosine,  soft  carmine  pink;  Keynes’  White,  still  a 
favourite;  Cinderella,  bright  purple;  Lsland  Queen,  pale  mauve; 
Uncle  Tom,  dark  crimson  maroon;  Vi.  Treseder.  French  white; 
Princess,  deep  lilac  pink ;  Capstan,  brick  red ;  Magnificent, 
delicate  salmon  pink,  tinted  apricot;  Arachne,  white  centre, 
each  petal  edged  crimson;  Mayor  Tuppeney,  yellow  and  orange; 
Vesta,  a  most  distinct  and  beautiful  shade  of  ro.sy  pink;  Prince 
of  Orange',  yellow,  shading  to  old  gold;  Starfi.sh,  one  of  the  best 
clear  scarlets;  Dinorah,  reddish  buff,  splendid  form;  Casilda, 
.sulphur  yellow,  outer  petals  tinted  delicate  pink,  lovely  flower; 
Alfred  Vasey,  blood  red,  suffused  with  pinkish  amber. — J.  AV.  J., 
Oswestry. 
